Jul. 29, 2008 - His Purpose for Me

I have been reading Mark 6 and Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest" this morning, and was uplifted by Christ's example and the following words.

"His purpose is for me to depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay calm, faithful, and unconfused while in the middle of the turmoil of life, the goal of the purpose of God is being accomplished in me."
"It is the process, not the outcome, that is glorifying to God. God’s training is for now, not later. His purpose is for this very minute, not for sometime in the future. We have nothing to do with what will follow our obedience, and we are wrong to concern ourselves with it. What people call preparation, God sees as the goal itself.

God’s purpose is to enable me to see that He can walk on the storms of my life right now. If we have a further goal in mind, we are not paying enough attention to the present time. However, if we realize that moment-by-moment obedience is the goal, then each moment as it comes is precious."

Jesus was a supreme example of this in Mark 6:34. He and His disciples had just had a very busy time, so busy with people's needs that they didn't even have time to eat. And then, they hear that John the Baptist has been beheaded. What emotions must have run through their hearts at that time! So Jesus says to them, let's get away and have some time alone. So they climb in the boat and cross the water, only to land on the other side to mobs of people with more needs! Jesus reaction? 

"As Jesus landed, He saw a great crowd waiting, and He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things." Mark 6:34

Here was a man with His emotions under God's control. He was meek (strength under control). He is also the Great "I AM", which means that He is with us in each moment, He is with us NOW, and we can draw strength to obey from Him NOW.